Earning Their Spurs

Good luck against FC Nordsjaelland

Tottenham cruised past FC Nordsjaelland in a dominant performance in the first leg of the Europa League fourth qualifying round.

There was to be no upset as Ralf Rangnick's men recorded an emphatic win, Spurs' biggest victory in European competition since 1983. It took just two minutes for Spurs to go ahead, as Andros Townsend fed Jermain Defoe. The England international skipped into the box before angling a ball to the far post for Alberto Paloschi to head in his first goal for the club. Eight minutes later, Paloschi turned provider, jinking in from the right wing to slip a pass across the box for Townsend. The young winger drilled the ball past David Jensen to notch his first goal for the club.

A rout was on the cards as Spurs grabbed their second goal in as many minutes. Paloschi again registered a superb assist, splitting the defence with a fine pass to set up Giovani dos Santos who slotted home. The shellshocked visitors went four down in the seventeenth minute. Jan Vertonghen's perfect lofted through ball picked out Townsend on the edge of the box and the twenty year old rifled past Jensen. The Belgian defender's first goal for Spurs ensured that it was 5-0 going into half time as his deflected free kick wormed its way into the back of the net.

Summer signing Paloschi was again the orchestrator for the sixth goal. The Italian striker received Kyle Walker's throw-in on the right flank and curled in a cross for Defoe to nod past Jensen at the near post. The Danish side's defence looked in disarray but the visitors buckled down as the second half went on to prevent a cricket score at White Hart Lane. Late substitute Sebastien Bassong finally made it seven with two minutes left. The defender controlled Vertonghen's corner, took a touch and blasted the ball home powerfully.

Alberto Paloschi (2), Andros Townsend (10, 17), Giovani dos Santos (11), Jan Vertonghen (37), Jermain Defoe
(55), Sebastien Bassong (88).


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Epic win Are you tempted to rest your players in 2nd leg?

Yeah, I overestimated them a bit I think. I've only ever heard of them from playing Chelsea in the CL a couple of years ago.

My league fixtures are pretty straightforward for the next few games so I'll see, might be nice to get another thrashing.

Fantastic 7-0 win and only the first leg too!

Gareth Bale has claimed that he is close to full fitness and hopes to play a part in Sunday's game against Fulham.

The Tottenham winger has been out of action since the start of the month after being forced off in Spurs' final friendly against Real Valladolid. Bale has since missed the North London derby against Arsenal and the Europa League qualifier against FC Nordsjaelland but the Welshman told Sky Sports News that he was nearly ready to return to the starting line-up. Spurs travel to Craven Cottage to take on former boss Martin Jol's Fulham side with both Bale and Luka Modric rumoured to be in contention for returns.

"Obviously, no player enjoys being injured," the twenty two year old said. "It's been a real wrench for me because I love playing in big derby games. The lads have started the season well and it's tough not being a part of that. The manager was keen not to rush me, it was a niggling injury and he didn't want a recurrence of it, which I understand. I feel good in myself, I've had the chance to rest for a little while and take it easy and I can tell that I'm close, so hopefully I'll get the opportunity at the weekend."

Bale, who signed a new five-year contract earlier this month, was joined on the sidelines this week by centre-back Michael Dawson. The twenty seven year old suffered a twisted knee in training and further reduces Spurs' lack of bodies at the back. Ledley King and William Gallas are both still long-term absences. Steve Sidwell is Fulham's sole absentee for Sunday's game with a twisted ankle. The Cottagers were beaten 2-0 by Manchester City in their first game but Jol has targeted revenge against the club that sacked him in 2007.

Two second-half goals earned Spurs three points after a closely-fought encounter away at Fulham.

A superb performance from Heurelho Gomes ensured a clean sheet as Fulham put up a surprisingly strong challenge. The Cottagers, led by former Spurs boss Martin Jol, poured forward early on and the Brazilian goalkeeper made several fine saves to deny the hosts. An athletic stop from Clint Dempsey's twenty-yard effort and a save to deny Bobby Zamora kept the scores level going into half time. Giovani dos Santos kept his place ahead of Gareth Bale and the Mexican forced Mark Schwarzer into a decent stop after Aaron Lennon picked him out.

Ralf Rangnick switched things up after the break, bringing on Jermain Defoe for Tom Huddlestone to partner Emmanuel Adebayor. The change quickly made an impact. Scott Parker found Defoe on the edge of the box and the striker stood his ground against Chris Baird, forcing the ball clear into the path of Lennon. The winger outpaced Aaron Hughes and slammed the ball into the back of the net. Lennon has now scored in both of Spurs' Premier League games this season after his strike against Arsenal last weekend.

The England international was again involved in Spurs' second just four minutes later. Lennon played an inventive one-two with Defoe, allowing him to speed down the right wing and cross to the back post. Giovani escaped Zdenek Grygera and was free to nod the ball past Schwarzer, scoring his first goal for the club in two years. Gomes continued his fine form in the final ten minutes. Former Spurs man Danny Murphy played a neat through ball for Andy Johnson but the keeper held onto the England striker's effort, before again keeping Johnson's late header in his clutches.


Aaron Lennon (52), Giovani dos Santos (56).

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Corluka completes Juventus switch
• Croatian defender moves on loan with view to permanent deal
• Spurs also announce signings of youth duo



Juventus have agreed a deal to take Tottenham defender Vedran Corluka on loan until the end of the season.

Corluka has featured little in Spurs' opening games, playing only forty five minutes in the 2-2 opening day draw against Arsenal. The twenty five year old is believed to be keen on playing first-team football and jumped at the chance to move to the Serie A side, who have the option to sign the Croatian international permanently for £4.5million during the season-long spell. Ralf Rangnick has preferred Kyle Walker at right-back so far, starting the twenty one year old in all three of Tottenham's matches.

Tottenham paid £5.5million in September 2008 to bring Corluka to White Hart Lane from Manchester City and was a regular starter during his first two seasons in North London. Last season saw him lose his place to Alan Hutton as Harry Redknapp reshuffled the defence and the emergence of Walker, both so far this season and on loan at Aston Villa earlier this year, is thought to have forced the former Dinamo Zagreb man's hand. Juventus will also fully cover Corluka's wages during his time in Turin.

Spurs also today completed the signings of youngsters Benito Raman and Diego Suarez. Raman, a sixteen year old striker known for his blistering pace, has completed a £600,000 move from Gent. The Belgian made his debut for the Jupiler League side aged just fifteen and has since attracted the attention of Aston Villa and Inter. Bolivian winger Suarez has arrived from Dinamo Kiev in a £1.4million move. The eighteen year old has signed a five-year deal with the club after spending the last four years in Ukraine and is likely to head out on loan this season.

A second-string Spurs side slipped to a disappointing defeat in Denmark but still comfortably qualified for the Europa League group stages.

Ralf Rangnick handed professional debuts to Jordan Archer, Jack Bartham, Freddy Champion and Jake Nicholson as Spurs travelled to the north-east of Denmark with a comfortable 7-0 lead from the first leg. The youngsters looked to be doing the job as they took the lead early on. Emmanuel Adebayor's cross was deflected past his own goalkeeper by Nordsjaelland defender Henrik Kildentoft. The Danes had nothing to lose after their first leg hammering and sent out a warning signal moments later as Tobias Mikkelsen tested Archer with a low drive.

The hosts levelled in the fifteen minute. Soren Christensen broke free on the left and evaded Bartham to produce an excellent delivery into the box. Jake Livermore failed to pick up the run of Rawez Lawan and the home striker took a touch before sweeping the ball past Archer. Rangnick's look of concern grew as Jan Vertonghen was forced off after he falling awkwardly in an aerial challenge. Archer did well to keep out another Lawan effort before Alberto Paloschi wasted a good opportunity just before the break in a frustrating evening for Spurs' strikers.

Nordsjaelland seemed to increase in confidence in the second half and it wasn't long before they delighted their home fans by taking the lead. A well-worked move allowed Mikkelsen to ping a ball across the area for Lawan at the far post and the Swedish striker smashed a first-time shot past Archer. Paloschi was again off-target after Nicholson did well to set him up with a through ball before Nordsjaelland grabbed a third. American centre-back Michael Parkhurst crashed a header in off the bar from Nicolai Stokholm's corner to ensure Spurs' first defeat of the season.

Rawez Lawan (15, 50), Michael Parkhurst (56).
Henrik Kildentoft own goal (9).

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Thanks god the game was over in 1st leg

Here's the top transfer-related stories in Friday's newspapers...

With six days remaining until deadline day, Tottenham boss Ralf Rangnick is not finished in the transfer market and has reportedly sent scouts to keep tabs on Leverkusen winger Sidney Sam. The twenty three year old can play on either flank and has a reputation for his lightning-quick pace. Leverkusen would expect a fee of around £8million to allow Sam to leave. (Daily Express)

Rangnick's other main priority is to bring in cover at centre-back. Spurs lost Jan Vertonghen for six to seven weeks with a fractured wrist sustained in last night's defeat to FC Nordsjaelland, joining fellow stoppers William Gallas, Ledley King and Michael Dawson in the physio's room. Milan centre-back Daniele Bonera or Roma's Gabriel Heinze could make short-term moves to White Hart Lane. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester City haven't given up on trying to sign one of Gareth Bale or Luka Modric despite the pair agreeing long-term deals at the start of the month. Roberto Mancini has spent a combined £34million on Danny and Darijo Srna and he is likely to have to sell players to finance another big-money move, starting with Aleksandar Kolarov who is set to join Galatasaray. (Daily Mirror)

Giovani dos Santos' fine start to the season has attracted the attention of Atletico Madrid, who will offer him a place in the starting line-up to tempt him to Estadio Vicente Calderon. Sevilla are also interested in the former Barcelona player, who has replaced the injured Gareth Bale in both of Spurs' Premier League games this season. (Marca)

Aston Villa hope to add to the signings of Adam Lallana, Ludovic Obraniak and Bakary Sako by making a move for Hoffenheim defender Edson Braafheid. The Dutch international would command a fee of around £8million. (Metro)

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Europa League group stage draw
• Fulham to meet Dundee United in Group E
• Tottenham and Stoke face tough draws



The Europa League group stage draw has handed tough tasks to Tottenham and Stoke, while Fulham face British opposition in Group E.

Spurs will face an Athletic Bilbao side renowned as one of the most attacking teams in Europe. Ralf Rangnick's side will also make a trip to Israel to play Maccabi Haifa and French side Rennes complete Group B. Stoke will take on 2010 champions Atletico Madrid, Steaua Bucharest and Stromsgodset in a daunting Group F. The Norwegian side stunned Lazio in the fourth qualifying round. Celtic have been drawn with Italian giants Roma, Slovenian side Maribor and Dinamo Bucharest in Group I.

Fulham have already overcome four sides to reach the groups after beginning their qualifying campaign in June thanks to the fair play system. The 2010 runners-up must negotiate PSV Eindhoven, Lokomotiv Moscow and Scottish side Dundee United if they hope to make the next round. Championship side Birmingham City will fancy their chances of progression as they face Braga, AEK Athens and Jablonec of the Czech Republic.

The first matches of the group stage will kick off on 29th September.

British involvement in the Europa League group stages:
Group B: Tottenham, Athletic Bilbao, Maccabi Haifa, Rennes.
Group E: PSV, Fulham, Lokomotiv Moscow, Dundee United.
Group F: Atletico Madrid, Steaua, Stoke, Stromsgodset.
Group G: Braga, AEK, Birmingham, Jablonec.
Group I: Roma, Celtic, Maribor, Dinamo Bucharest.

Wow surprised defeat there! But you've been handed a good group!

Yeah, we were rather awful there, it was an awkward mix of the first eleven and some fairly rubbish youth players. I reckon we should be able to get through as long as we beat Rennes.

Tottenham moved up to third in the Premier League after they eased to a home victory over Wolves.

Gareth Bale and Luka Modric both made successful returns to the starting line-up as Spurs dominated the game, restricting Mick McCarthy's side to just one shot on target. Kevin Doyle wasted the visitors' best chance of the game after just five minutes, spurning an open goal after beating Heurelho Gomes to a loose ball on the edge of the box following Tom Huddlestone's underhit backpass. Emmanuel Adebayor had an impressive afternoon and the on-loan striker rattled the crossbar with a powerful header from Aaron Lennon's cross.

The striker didn't have to wait much longer for his first goal in a Tottenham shirt as Spurs took the lead five minutes later. Jake Livermore slipped the ball to Adebayor on the halfway line and the Togolese international set off on a dazzling run, skinning Roger Johnson and Christophe Berra before burying the ball in the bottom corner. Wayne Hennessey twice did well to prevent Aaron Lennon from notching his third goal in three league games, once following a magnificent solo run by the winger as Spurs looked to extend their lead.

Five minutes into the second half, substitute Jermain Defoe made it 2-0. Huddlestone collected Johnson's clearance and picked out Defoe in a crowded box, allowing the striker to blast the ball out of Hennessey's reach in the top corner. The same combination almost struck again on the hour but Defoe became the second Spurs striker to hit the woodwork. Ralf Rangnick's men finally grabbed a third in added time. Modric's corner ricocheted off Kevin Foley into the path of Younes Kaboul and the centre-back steered the ball low into the back of the net.

Emmanuel Adebayor (32), Jermain Defoe (50), Younes Kaboul (90).


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Bayern Munich have confirmed that they have signed Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart in a £15million move.

The twenty eight year old has signed a three-year deal with the Bundesliga side after talks with Bayern representatives in Germany. The Dutch international joined Spurs from Real Madrid exactly a year ago for £8million. Van der Vaart was a long-term target for ex-Bayern boss Louis van Gaal and almost signed for Bayern before making the move to White Hart Lane. Jupp Heynckes is now the man in charge at the Allianz-Arena but he decided to pursue the former Hamburg man to bolster a midfield already boasting the talents of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos.

"We are very pleased to announce the signing of Rafael van der Vaart," a statement on Bayern's website read. "He is a hugely talented player with an excellent range of passing who will easily fit into our system. His ability to strike a dead ball is almost second to none. Rafael has experience at the highest level and we are confident that he will adjust to the pace of the game quickly as a former Bundesliga player. This transfer shows our continued commitment to signing players of his calibre."

Tottenham face a race against time to replace the popular midfielder, who was a consistent presence in the starting line-up last season. Van der Vaart was the club's highest scorer in the Premier League last season with thirteen goals but manager Ralf Rangnick has been eager to blood youngsters like Jake Livermore into the first eleven this season. Rangnick was spotted visiting friends in Germany yesterday but it is unknown if the Spurs boss is attempting to close any deals with only six hours of the transfer window remaining.

Tottenham have announced the signings of midfielders Xherdan Shaqiri and Sven Bender, subject to Premier League approval.

Spurs officials worked late into the night to submit the necessary registration documents to complete the deals for Basel winger Shaqiri and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Bender. The Premier League is expected to approve the signings of the duo, making Spurs the most active club on deadline day following the sale of Rafael van der Vaart to Bayern Munich earlier in the evening. Manager Ralf Rangnick was called into action after the Dutchman's £15million move boosted his transfer funds and allowed him to bring in extra targets.

Shaqiri is one of Europe's most highly-rated youngsters and Tottenham have paid Basel £10million to bring him to North London for the next four years. The nineteen year old has been a key part of the Swiss side's consecutive league wins and was a surprise inclusion in the Switzerland squad at the 2010 World Cup last summer. Shaqiri is renowned for his blistering pace and has been dubbed the 'Messi of the Alps' for his outstanding technical ability. He has made eleven appearances for the national side, scoring once against England in 2010.

Tottenham were linked with Sven Bender's brother Lars earlier in the transfer window but missed out on the Leverkusen man, who has completed a season-long loan to Benfica. The younger brother has signed a five-year deal with the club after Spurs agreed a £6.75million fee with Dortmund. Bender made his debut for the national side in March against Australia and was thought to be highly-rated by the German champions, where he missed just three league games on their run to a first title in nine years last season.

Tottenham's latest signing Sven Bender offered his thoughts after a whirlwind past twenty four hours for the German international.

"I'm a little tired but very happy," laughed the twenty two year old. "I'm looking forward to meeting my team-mates and working with the manager, who I really admire from his days managing in Germany. I talked to some of the national team players that play in the Premier League and they spoke very highly of the quality of football, even compared to the Bundesliga. Tottenham are a club on the rise and offer a new challenge for me. I hope that it will have a positive effect on my game."

"Moving to a new country is an interesting experience and living in London will be very different. I know that my brother is going through the same thing so hopefully we will be able to give each other some tips. It's difficult to leave Dortmund, I had a fantastic time there and Jurgen Klopp has really shaped my game and helped me to develop as both a player and a person. I'm very grateful to him for that. The manager here shares his dynamism and the style of play is also quite similar, which has helped me to make my decision."

Bender could make his first start for Spurs against Blackburn next weekend after the international break. Gareth Bale and Luka Modric both completed their returns from injury against Wolves and are expected to feature at Ewood Park. Jan Vertonghen, William Gallas and Ledley King are all still on the sidelines and Danny Rose joined them today after twisting his ankle in training.

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Spurs kept their third consecutive clean sheet as two first-half goals claimed three points away at Blackburn.

Ralf Rangnick handed a debut to deadline day signing Sven Bender in midfield and the young German enjoyed an impressive first start for the club. Spurs went ahead after just ten minutes as a cleverly-worked corner from Gareth Bale found Younes Kaboul at the near post. The Frenchman controlled the ball and slammed it past Paul Robinson to grab his third goal in four games. The home side tried their hardest to hit back immediately and Mauro Formica went closest with a long-range effort that whistled just over the crossbar.

Heurelho Gomes has had an excellent start to the season and the Brazilian goalkeeper put in another man-of-the-match display at Ewood Park. A brilliant first-half stop to deny Steven N'Zonzi's powerful effort was one of the highlights. Ten minutes before the break, Spurs doubled their advantage. Emmanuel Adebayor broke free after Aaron Lennon's through ball and clipped the ball across the box to Tom Huddlestone. Adebayor escaped his marker and Huddlestone sent the ball back into the path of the striker, who turned the ball past Robinson.

The on-loan Manchester City man looked a potent threat in front of goal all afternoon and frequently caused havoc in the Blackburn defence. Former Spurs goalkeeper Robinson twice made fine saves to deny the Togolese international, one after a magnificent solo run. Gomes refused to be outdone by his fellow keeper and again produced a flying save from Formica's effort. Michael Dawson hit the bar late on from a corner and Xherdan Shaqiri almost had a dream debut after coming on in the second half, blasting the ball into the side netting after speeding down the right flank.


Younes Kaboul (10), Emmanuel Adebayor (35).

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Rangnick heartened by strong start
• German boss has led Spurs to third in league
• Tottenham have kept three straight clean sheets



Ralf Rangnick has declared himself pleased with the start that his Tottenham side have made to the season after a 2-0 win at Blackburn.

Rangnick was appointed manager in June after Harry Redknapp left the club and has enjoyed a successful start to the season, including three straight Premier League victories and an emphatic 7-0 win over FC Nordsjaelland in the Europa League. His side have attracted praise for their attacking football and wing play. Spurs have also kept clean sheets in each of their three league wins this season, including a 2-0 victory over Blackburn at Ewood Park on Saturday afternoon which moved them up to third in the early stages of the Premier League.

"The players can take heart from their performances so far," Rangnick said. "They have adapted to the way we want to play very well and you can see the confidence that has brewed in the results that we are having. There's still room to improve and it's important to continue the momentum of a good start. The players need time to get used to their roles in the system but they have taken to the style of play I'm looking for very quickly. It's been terrific to watch the players combining with another so well. There's a great chemistry and togetherness in the squad, which is wonderful."

Tottenham are preparing for their first Europa League group stage game against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday night at White Hart Lane. The Spanish side are Spurs' main rivals to top Group B and are managed by the experienced former Chile coach Marcelo Bielsa. Spurs are likely to hand captain Ledley King a first appearance of the season after the England international's return from a groin injury. Swiss starlet Xherdan Shaqiri is also expected to make his first start for the club after his £10million move from Basel.

Spurs endured a frustrating evening as they struggled to break down a determined Athletic Bilbao side in the Europa League.

The visitors scored with their only shot on target as Ralf Rangnick's side slumped to a defeat in the opening game of the group stages. A superb performance from Athletic goalkeeper Gorka Iraizoz meant that Spurs failed to hit the back of the net in a game for the first time this season. Iraizoz displayed what was to come for the rest of the evening early on by pulling off a stunning save from Xherdan Shaqiri after Luka Modric did well to tee up the Swiss international. Younes Kaboul also had a header ruled out for a foul from a corner kick as Spurs controlled the first half of the match.

Athletic's finest chance of the opening forty five minutes fell to Gaizka Toquero. Iker Muniain played a one-two with Markel Susaeta on the wing and crossed for the striker, who poked the ball off the post. Spurs continued to press for the lead after the break but found Iraizoz in fine form, as the keeper turned away Shaqiri's powerful effort and Aaron Lennon failed to make the most of his chance after wriggling free of the defence. The away side made Spurs pay five minutes into the half as Carlos Gurpegi's corner was headed in by centre-back Jon Aurtenetxe.

Rangnick threw on Giovani dos Santos and Alberto Paloschi to try to change the game but Athletic held firm. The Mexican almost immediately had a good opportunity to level the scores after jinking through the defence but Giovani's finish could not match up to his impressive solo run. Borja Ekiza made an excellent block to prevent Scott Parker from smashing the ball into the top corner and Iraizoz clung onto Luka Modric's effort before again denying Shaqiri. Ledley King was forced to limp off late on to cap a disappointing night for Spurs.


Jon Aurtenetxe (50).

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Mainz defender Stefan Bell has agreed a deal to sign for Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the season.

The twenty year old is currently on loan at 2. Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt and will make the move to England after the end of his spell at the Waldstation. Bell, who is highly rated by the coaching staff at Mainz and has been tipped as a future international, will sign a four-year deal at White Hart Lane next summer after the two clubs agreed a £3million fee. Bell was loaned to 1860 Munich last season, making twenty four appearances for the Lions as they finished ninth in the second tier. The centre-back has already made eight appearances for Frankfurt this season.

"It will be a great shame to lose Stefan after he returns from his loan," Mainz boss Thomas Tuchel said. "We cannot really turn down such an offer and he was very keen to play in the Premier League once he found out that Tottenham were interested. He has done well so far at Frankfurt and we were looking forward to him being a big part of our team next year, but there is very little we can do. The money will be reinvested in the team and academy. We ultimately have to wish him well and hope that he returns one day in the future."

Bell has made two appearances for the Germany under-21 team, making his debut for the side in the friendly against Switzerland in August. He also started the side's first UEFA Under-21 Championship qualifier against Hungary, putting in a solid performance as the youth side defeated their opposition 2-1.

Good transfers on deadline day mate, shame about the bilbao result!

Cheers, bloody superkeepers screwed me over. And I waited to sign Lars but saw that he'd gone to Benfica so I got the next best thing instead. Shaqiri's one of my favourite real-life players so it made sense.

I've had a momentary pause on the updates because of a (dreadful) essay but I've got a clear weekend so should be more coming.

Michael Dawson bagged a rare double as Spurs comfortably beat Championship side Ipswich in the third round of the Carling Cup.

The centre-back opened the scoring for Spurs after twenty four minutes. Tom Huddlestone's corner fell to Dawson's feet and he crashed the ball past David Stockdale to score his first goal since February. Jason Scotland saw a speculative effort balloon over the bar as the Tractor Boys tried to hit back immediately but it was soon 2-0. Xherdan Shaqiri picked out Dawson at the near post and the popular defender could barely believe his luck as he glanced a header past the Ipswich goalkeeper. Four minutes later, the hosts looked to have found a way back into the game.

Scotland exchanged passes with his strike partner Daryl Murphy and cracked a rasping effort into the top corner from twenty yards out. Alberto Paloschi missed a good chance to extend the lead on the stroke of half time as the Italian striker fired wide following Scott Parker's fine through ball. Dawson was forced off six minutes into the second half after a collision with Scotland but Spurs certainly stepped up their game after the break. Shaqiri robbed Alain Rochat on the edge of the box and drove the ball past Stockdale to net his first goal for Spurs.

A lethal breakaway allowed Shaqiri to score a second within eight minutes. Jermain Defoe received the ball from Paloschi on the halfway line and began a well-worked move that culminated in Parker slipping the ball for Shaqiri to roll the ball into an empty net. The goals kept coming as Scotland threaded the ball through for Carlos Edwards, who escaped Benoit Assou-Ekotto and hammered the ball past Friedel. Late substitute Emmanuel Adebayor had the last word as he was left to convert an open goal after Stockdale parried Jake Livermore's effort into the striker's path.

Jason Scotland (33), Carlos Edwards (61).
Michael Dawson (24, 29), Xherdan Shaqiri (51, 59), Emmanuel Adebayor (79).

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Shame about Bilbao loss Do find it annoying when other keeper goes into superman mode and save literally every shots

Good signings

Black Cats shape up for Spurs test
• Sunderland face in-form Tottenham side at Stadium of Light
• Former Spurs man Kranjcar to miss game



Sunderland host Spurs on Wearside hoping to bring Ralf Rangnick's side's recent run of good form to an end.

Tottenham have won their last three Premier League games without conceding and travel to the Stadium of Light hoping to extend the run. Spurs will be without Belgian defender Jan Vertonghen and fellow centre-backs William Gallas and Ledley King for the visit to Steve Bruce's side. Sunderland are missing Niko Kranjcar, who completed a £5.5million move from White Hart Lane in the summer after two seasons in North London. The Croatian international suffered torn knee ligaments in Sunderland's 3-0 Carling Cup defeat to Chelsea in midweek.

The Black Cats have endured an inconsistent start to the season, with their only victory coming in a 1-0 win against QPR at Loftus Road in August. Sunderland slipped to a 3-0 defeat away to Manchester City last weekend and sit just above the relegation zone with four points from their opening five games. Bruce has urged supporters to be patient during a difficult series of fixtures that began against City on Sunday, before games against Spurs and Chelsea. The Sunderland boss spent £10million to bring in Kranjcar, Erik Pieters and Andile Jali in the summer.

Spurs won the corresponding fixture last season at the Stadium of Light. After Asamoah Gyan's opener for Sunderland, Tottenham came back to win the game 2-1 thanks to Michael Dawson's header and a stunning goal from Kranjcar, who will line up on the opposing side this evening. Gyan also scored in the return fixture at White Hart Lane in a 1-1 draw where Rafael van der Vaart scored for the home team. The Ghanaian left Wearside in the summer to spend the campaign on loan at UAE side Al-Ain.

Xherdan Shaqiri scored a hat-trick as Tottenham destroyed Sunderland in a ruthless performance at the Stadium of Light.

The £10million signing gave Spurs the lead after just four minutes. Emmanuel Adebayor's cross was headed away by Wes Brown straight to the feet of Gareth Bale and the Welshman pinged the ball back to Shaqiri, who made no mistake in steering the ball into the bottom corner. It wasn't long before Bale grabbed a strike of his own despite limping out of a collision with John O'Shea. The winger intercepted Michael Turner's poor headed clearance and cut into the box before firing the ball low to the left of Sunderland goalkeeper Kieren Westwood.

Luka Modric added a third goal for Spurs just before half time, taking the ball on the bounce and blasting past Westwood after Bale whipped in a low first-time cross to the Croatian. Spurs continued to pile misery on the shellshocked home side in the second half by going 4-0 up. Shaqiri controlled Modric's pass and played a delicious ball ahead of Adebayor. He darted through and powered in his sixth goal of the season. David Vaughan was the only bright light for the Black Cats and restored some parity by beating Gomes to Connor Wickham's cross.

The goals kept flying in as Modric diverted Shaqiri's curling free kick over the line to make it 5-1. A swift breakaway from Gareth Bale then ended in Shaqiri meeting a low cross at the far post and prodding it past Westwood. Adebayor then bagged his second goal as the striker seized on Andile Jali's awful backpass and slotted home. Vaughan hammered a twenty-five strike into the top corner for 7-2. There was just enough time for Shaqiri to complete his hat-trick late on with a tap-in after a slick passing move that sliced through the home defence.

David Vaughan (53, 83).
Xherdan Shaqiri (4, 61, 90), Gareth Bale (25), Luka Modric (41, 56), Emmanuel Adebayor (50, 75).

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Tottenham legend Glenn Hoddle has claimed that his former club are currently the best footballing side in the Premier League.

"They can be very proud," Hoddle told Sky Sports News. "It's been a delight to watch them since the start of the season and Ralf Rangnick has got the players doing exactly what he wants. That last goal against Sunderland was outrageous, I haven't seen a passing move executed that perfectly in a long while. If you look at the rest of the league so far, nobody else has done anything quite like that. It would be easy to say that it was just a one-off result but they've performed consistently well and they're the best team in the league to watch at the moment."

Tottenham have won their last four Premier League matches, stretching back from a 2-2 draw in the North London derby against Arsenal at White Hart Lane on the opening day of the season. The 8-2 hammering of Sunderland in their last match means that Ralf Rangnick's side have scored seventeen goals in their first five league games. Spurs also recorded a resounding victory over FC Nordsjaelland in the Europa League and beat Ipswich 5-2 in the Carling Cup, attracting praise for their pacy and aggressive counter-attacking style.

Spurs arrived in Israel this morning for tomorrow's Europa League game against Maccabi Haifa. Rangnick is expected to rest several key faces ahead of Sunday's game against Aston Villa and fringe players Danny Rose, Jake Livermore, Giovani dos Santos and Alberto Paloschi are all expected to start in the evening kick-off. Veteran stopper Brad Friedel will replace Heurelho Gomes in goal. Spurs lost their Group B opener against Athletic Bilbao and will need to play catch-up with the Basque pace-setters, who host Ligue 1 side Rennes at San Mames.

Aaron Lennon scored a remarkable four goals as Tottenham crushed Maccabi Haifa to get their Europa League aspirations back on track in Israel.

The win lifts Spurs into second place in Group B and means that Ralf Rangnick's side have now scored an extraordinary nineteen goals in their past three games. Lennon opened the scoring after seven minutes at Kiryat Eliezer Stadium. A superb through ball from Alberto Paloschi allowed Lennon to skip past Taleb Tawatha and clip the ball past Bojan Saranov in the Haifa goal. The England international had his second goal twelve minutes later. Giovani dos Santos found Paloschi on the left and the striker's cross was deflected into Lennon's path to blast home.

Lennon completed his first professional hat-trick after twenty eight minutes. A lethal counter-attack spearheaded by Paloschi saw Spurs break into the home side's half after a corner. The Italian striker found Giovani, who sent a low cross to the far post where Lennon was waiting to turn the ball over the line. The winger capped off an outstanding game by netting his fourth goal with not even forty minutes played. Sari Falah's headed clearance fell to Lennon on the edge of the area and he hammered the ball past Saranov from an acute angle to make it 4-0.

Haifa switched to a five-man defence to stem the tide but Paloschi should have made it five in the opening minute of the second half, shooting wide after Giovani's sterling pass. The £4million striker quickly made up for his miss by wonderfully controlling Tom Huddlestone's delicate chipped pass and slotting it into the back of the net. The hosts narrowly missed a chance to reclaim some dignity as Idan Vered's powerful strike hit the foot of the post but Paloschi grabbed a late sixth goal after beating Jurica Buljat to substitute Gareth Bale's cross.


Aaron Lennon (7, 19, 28, 39), Alberto Paloschi (56, 82).

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